ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Education
Smt Annpurna Devi presented National ICT Awards to 49 teachers across the country
Union Minister of State for Education Smt Annpurna Devi presented National ICT Awards to 49 teachers across the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Smt Annpurna Devi said that the National Education Policy-2020 emphasizes on the extensive use of technology in teaching and learning processes, removing language barriers, increasing access for DIVYANG students along with educational planning and management.
She informed that the Information and Communication Technology [ICT] intervention under Samagra Shiksha also has a component to provide IT infrastructure to schools and Teacher Education Institutes  to facilitate innovative use of ICT in school and teacher education leading to improved quality in all the spheres of school and teacher education.
Smt Annpurna Devi highlighted that the flagship projects to bridge the digital divide include DIKSHA, ePathshala, ICT Curriculum for teachers and students, School MOOCs on SWAYAM , PMeVIDYA  and NISHTHA  integrated teacher training programme through online mode. These initiatives help in enhancing the access and outreach of technology irrespective of any social, political, economic or geographic barriers, she added.
She appreciated the role of teachers in nation building and mentioned that Guru's are given utmost respect in Indian Society. She congratulated all the teachers being awarded today for their diligent efforts and innovation in the field of education and promoting the outreach of technology in their schools even during the COVID pandemic situation.
She further said that the recent budget announcements by the Govt. of India have provided further impetus to all the digital education initiatives. Launching of 200 DTH TV channels, 750 Virtual labs in science and mathematics, transforming teachers as digital teachers are some of the new budget announcements of our Govt. for 2022-23.
Recognition given in the form of National Award for school teachers for use of ICT in Education indirectly contributes to motivate teachers to use ICT extensively and significantly in their classrooms through content-pedagogy and technology together.
NCERT adopts a rigorous process in inviting online applications through a dedicated portal, online self nominations by prospective candidates, receiving nominations from state/UT/Organizations level authorities, organization of National level jury meeting for final selection through jury, which is being done in a transparent manner.
It has now been envisaged to extend this Award to the Teacher Educators (School Complexes, CRCs, BRCs, BIETs, DIETs, CTEs/IASEs, SCERTs/SIEs, SIETs, SIEMAT etc. and for the States & UTs for their best practices.
These ICT Awardees are also being bestowed with a responsibility to function as ICT Ambassadors in widening the outreach of ICT in Education through their continuous efforts by mentoring other teachers and also develop entrepreneurial skills among the students in order to develop a skilled workforce.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
Under Food Security   Rules, 2022 with effect from 1 st April, 2022, the rate of fair price shop dealers margin enhanced to Rs.90 per quintal for General category States and Rs.180 per quintal for Special
The Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ms. Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today shared that, as per provisions of the Food Security   Rules, 2022 with effect from 1st April, 2022, the rate of fair price shop dealers margin has been enhanced to Rs.90 per quintal for General category States and Rs.180 per quintal for Special category States. In addition to this, additional dealers margin at the rate of Rs.21 per quintal for General category States and Rs.26 per quintal for Special category States is provided for distribution of foodgrains through ePoS devices. The FPS Dealers Margin and Additional Dealers Margin for e-PoS devices are shared between Central and State/UT Government on 50:50 basis with General Category States and 75:25 basis with Special Category States/UTs. As per the Targeted Public Distribution System Control Order 2015, operational responsibility of Fair Price Shops including issuance of licenses and supervision of the functioning of Fair Price Shops  etc. lies with the respective State Governments. Further, the State/UT Governments are empowered to allow sale of commodities other than the foodgrains at the FPS to improve the viability of fair price operations.
As part of efforts to improve the viability of FPSs, Government of India has taken various initiatives and requested all State/UT Governments to implement additional services at the FPSs, including Common Service Centre  services, banking services through tie-up with banks/ corporate BCs, banking and citizen-centric services of India Post Payment Bank , retail sale of small  LPG cylinders and sale of other commodities/ general store items etc.. Oil Marketing Companies  agreed to provide all necessary support for selling mini LPG Cylinders through FPSs to interested State/UT Governments.
Sufficient number of procurement centres are opened by State procuring agencies and FCI, keeping in view the procurement potential and geographical spread of the State concerned. Large number of temporary purchase centres, in addition to the existing Mandis and depots/ godowns, are also established at key points for the convenience of the farmers.
Government of India, in association with all States/UTs, has implemented a scheme on ‘End-to-End Computerization of Targeted Public Distribution System  Operations’ including automation of Fair Price Shops  to bring transparency and efficiency in the allocation and distribution of highly subsidised foodgrains to beneficiaries covered under National Food Security Act, 2013 . So far, nearly 5.33 Lakh out of total 5.34 Lakh FPSs in the country have been automated by installing ePoS devices.
Ministry of Finance
Searches conducted by the Income Tax Department lead to detection of unaccounted income of more than Rs. 2000 crore
Income Tax Department carried out Search and Seizure action on 6th February 2020 at Hyderabad, Vijaywada, Cuddapah, Vishakhapatnam, Delhi and Pune. More than 40 premises were covered.
The search action included three prominent infrastructure groups based in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Investigations led to busting of a major racket of cash generation through bogus sub-contractors, over-invoicing and bogus billing. Several incriminating documents and loose papers were found and seized during the search, apart from emails, WhatsApp messages and unexplained foreign transactions unearthed during the search.
Search operation was also carried out on close associates including ex-personal secretary of a prominent person and incriminating evidence seized.
The search operations revealed that Infrastructure companies had sub-contracted work to several non-existent/bogus entities. Preliminary estimates suggest siphoning of more than Rs. 2000 crore through transactions that were layered through multiple entities with the last in the chain being small entities with turnover less than Rs. 2 crore to avoid maintenance of books of accounts and tax audits etc. Such entities were either not found at their registered address or were found to be shell entities. Several such sub-contractors were controlled by the principal contractors with all their ITR filings and other compliances being done from the IP addresses of main corporate office.
FDI receipts of several crores in the group companies of one of the Infrastructure companies is suspected to be round-tripping of its unaccounted funds.
Unexplained cash of Rs. 85 lakh and Jewellery worth Rs. 71 lakh have been seized. More than 25 bank lockers have been restrained.
National Financial Reporting Authority
NFRA Publishes list of Audit firms/ auditors Who not filed mandatory NFRA-2 form
The National Financial Reporting Authority has published a list of audit forms/auditors who have not filed the mandatory e-form, NFRA-2, for the reporting period 2018-19 and 2019-20.
The annual return is to be filed in accordance with Rule 5 of National Financial Reporting Authority Rules, 2018. The auditors/audit firms of class of companies specified in Rule 3 of NFRA Rules 2018 are required to file the annual return on or before 30th November every year.
In the past also NFRA had identified cases of non-compliance with the above statutory requirements and sent intimations to defaulting firms. A list of such firms/auditors was also published on the website of NFRA and intimated to Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
For the reporting period 2018-19 , NFRA-2 was supposed to be filed by 30 November 2019. As it was the first year of filing, the date was extended upto 4 September 2020. A review revealed that a total of 617 audit firms/auditors have still not filed NFRA-2 for the reporting period 2018-19.
For the next reporting period, 2019-20 , a total 1684 audit firms have so far not filed NFRA-2. The due date for filing NFRA-2 for reporting period 2019-20 was 30 November 2020.
The list of audit firms/auditors in default in respect of both these years is available on NFRA website . An intimation is also being sent by NFRA to such audit firms/auditors.
Attention of all defaulting audit firm/ auditors is invited to the fact that non-filing of NFRA-2 form is a non-compliance covered under Rule 13 of NFRA rules and attracts penal provisions. The rule has been further amended vide NFRA amendment Rules 2022 dated 17.06.22. The amended Rule 13 is published on NFRA website

The list of defaulting audit firms/auditors for the reporting period after 2020-21 is also being reviewed and will be published soon.
It is also reminded that the due date for the reporting period 2021-22  is 30 November 2022. Auditors/firms are advised to file NFRA-2, if not already done so.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
COVID-19 UPDATE
220.10 cr Total Vaccine doses  have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive
91,732 doses administered in last 24 hours
India's Active caseload currently stands at 3,653
Active cases stand at 0.01%
Recovery Rate currently at 98.8%
179 recoveries in the last 24 hours increases Total Recoveries to
4,41,44,029
226 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours
Daily positivity rate 
Weekly Positivity Rate 
91.07 cr Total Tests conducted so far; 1,87,983 tests conducted in the last 24 hours
Ministry of Finance
Measures to check cyber crimes in Banking System
As per data reported by the Reserve Bank of India , the number of cyber crime pertaining to credit card, ATM, debit card and Internet banking shows a marginal increase of 4.4% from 13,083 in 2014-15, to 13,653 in 2016-17.
RBI has issued Cyber Security Framework in Banks, mandating banks to put in place a Board-approved cyber-security policy, which covers the risks from cyber threats and the measures to address/ mitigate these risks.
RBI has issued instructions to banks for reversal of erroneous debits arising from fraudulent or other transactions, and for Board-approved bank policy to cover customer protection, the mechanism of compensating the customer for the unauthorised electronic banking transactions, and display of the same on the bank’s website, along with the details of grievance-handling / escalation procedure. Under the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, if a customer does not receive any reply within a period of one month after receipt of representation by the bank or is not satisfied with the reply given, he can file a complaint before the Ombudsman, who can ask the bank to pay compensation of up to Rs. 20 lakh to the customer for loss, suffered by the customer due to an act of omission of the bank, and also compensation of up to Rs. 1 lakh for mental agony and harassment.
This was stated by Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State for Finance in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Finance
DRI busts Areca Nuts Smuggling Syndicate
Mastermind of Areca Nuts Smuggling syndicate arrested.
DRI has seized 75.09 MTS of Areca nuts having a tariff value of Rs. 6.53 Crore, which were being attempted to be smuggled by declaring as ‘Grinding Wheels’. In the investigations undertaken pursuant to the seizure, the key conspirator is identified and has been arrested under the Customs Act.
2. Specific intelligence received indicated that consignment of ‘Areca Nuts’ which would be attempted to be illicitly imported by unscrupulous importers by resorting to misdeclaration in the description of goods. Intelligence further indicated that the goods had arrived at Chennai Port from Jebel Ali, Port in UAE and would be transshipped to ICD Whitefield at Bengaluru.
3. Acting on the said intelligence, the three containers were examined by the officers of DRI Ahmedabad Zonal Unit at Chennai port and at Bengaluru. Upon examination, the 75.09 MTS of ‘Areca Nuts’ having a tariff value of Rs. 6.53 Crore, found mis-declared in the said containers were seized by DRI. One person, the mastermind in the illegal act of smuggling by using the Import Export Code  of other persons, identified through extensive inquiry/ investigation and has been arrested, the further investigation in the case is under progress.
4. Import of Areca Nut attracts high tariff value and duty structure of 110%, for protection of domestic industry. In order to avoid the same, unscrupulous importers have resorted to mis-declaration in imports of Areca Nuts. DRI has unravelled this modus operandi and busted the nexus of the syndicate illicitly smuggling ‘Areca Nuts’ using the credentials of unsuspecting Import Export Code  holders, which has increased in recent times.
CB/GP/JD
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Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Work started on Katra  - Delhi Express Road Corridor, to be completed by 2023
Jammu to Delhi travel time will come to just about six hours: Dr Jitendra Singh
The work has started on the first - of- its- kind Katra  - Delhi Express Road Corridor which will be ready by 2023 and when it becomes functional, the travel time from Katra to Delhi will get reduced to around six and half hours, and from Jammu to Delhi to just about six hours.
Disclosing this here today, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh stated that once this Express Road Corridor becomes functional, people will prefer to travel to Delhi by road instead of undertaking journey by train or by Air. The hallmark of this road corridor is that it will connect the holy cities of Katra and Amritsar, and at the same time offer connectivity for some other major important religious shrines between the two destinations, he said.
Dr Jitendra Singh further informed that after completion of the survey by M/s Feedback Consultants Ltd, the process of acquisition of land is nearly complete and the work on the ground has started. Estimated to cost over Rs. 35,000 crores, he said, the important cities through which this Expressway Corridor will pass include Jammu and Kathua in J&K, and Jalandhar, Amritsar, Kapurthala and Ludhiana in Punjab.
Meanwhile, Dr Jitendra Singh said, simultaneous widening of the National Highway between Pathankot and Jammu is also being undertaken, to upgrade it from 4 - lane to 6 - lane, which will also prove to be a great boon for the commuters between Jammu, Kathua and Pathankot.
Scheduled to be completed within a timeline of three years, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the road corridor will prove to be a path-breaking revolution in promoting industry and investments in the entire region. It will also pave the way for the growth of economic hubs in cities like Kathua and Jammu, he added.
Pertinent to mention that Dr Jitendra Singh, who is a Member of Parliament  representing Katra Vaishno Devi, had been pursuing this project since 2015 and had for the first time about three and half years ago announced during a programme at Katra that he had submitted a proposal to this effect which had been accepted by the Minister for Road Transport & Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari but it would take time because of procedural issues etc.
Thanking Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for the liberal Central funding to build a series of landmark new roads and bridges in the region during the last six years, Dr Jitendra Singh recalled that some of the monumental works include the state-of-the-art Chenani-Nashri tunnel, which was inaugurated by PM Shri Modi and which is the first to be named after Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee.
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SNC
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Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence signs Rs 880 crore contract for Light Machine Guns with Israeli firm
The Indian Armed Forces' long-standing requirement of a modern state-of-the-art Light Machine Gun  has finally fructified. The Acquisition Wing of Ministry of Defence has signed the capital acquisition contract with Israel Weapons Industries for procurement of 16,479 LMGs at a cost of Rs 880 crore with the approval of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh.
The contracted Negev 7.62X51 mm LMG is a combat proven weapon and currently used by several countries around the globe. This LMG will greatly enhance the lethality and range of a soldier vis-a-vis the presently used weapon.
The provisioning of this operationally urgent and very critically needed weapon will boost the confidence of the frontline troops and provide much needed combat power to the Armed Forces.
ABB/SS/Nampi/KA/DK/Savvy
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UPSC
Result of Combined Geo-Scientist  Examination-2021 declared
On the basis of the result of the Combined Geo-Scientist  Examination-2021 held by the Union Public Service Commission on 21.02.2021, the candidates with the under mentioned Roll Numbers have qualified for the Combined Geo-Scientist  Examination-2021. The result is also available on the Commission’s website https://upsc.gov.in.
The candidature of these candidates is purely provisional at all the stages of the Examination subject to satisfying the prescribed eligibility conditions. The candidates declared qualified are required to appear at the Combined Geo-Scientist  Examination-2021 to be held on 17th& 18th July, 2021. The qualified candidates are further advised to refer to the Rules of the Combined Geo-Scientist Examination-2021 issued by the Ministry of Mines and the Examination Notice No.1/21-GEOL dated 07.10.2020 issued by the Commission, which is available on its Website. The candidates may download their e-Admit Cards from the Commission’s Website around 03 weeks before the commencement of the Combined Geo-Scientist  Examination-2021. Candidates are also informed that marks and cut-off marks of the Combined Geo-Scientist  Examination-2021 will be uploaded on the Commission’s website i.e. https://upsc.gov.in after the entire process of the Combined Geo-Scientist Examination-2021 is over i.e. after the declaration of its final result. No request for change of Centre/discipline for the Combined Geo-Scientist  Examination-2021will be entertained under any circumstances.
Union Public Service Commission has a Facilitation Counter at its Campus. Candidate may obtain any information/clarification regarding their examination/result on working days between 10.00 A.M. to 5.00 P.M. in person or over Telephone Nos.- 23388088, 23385271/23381125/23098543 from this counter.
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Ministry of Science & Technology
Young scientists share innovative ideas in a range of areas at the SCO Young Scientist Conclave
Dr. Harsh Vardhan exhorts the astute scientists at the 1st SCO Young Scientist Conclave to 'Innovate, Patent, Produce & Prosper' to lead our countries towards faster development
A roadmap for networking and collaboration in these areas prepared with provisions for exchange of young scientists across the SCO member states
Young scientists shared their innovative ideas in a range of thematic areas in the five days Shanghai Cooperation Organisation  Young Scientist Conclave which concluded recently. The areas included agriculture and food processing; sustainable energy and energy storage; biotechnology and bioengineering; combating COVID-19 and emerging pandemics through research and innovation; environmental protection and natural resource management,
22 young scientists were given certificates of appreciation for their innovative research work and ideas on which they would like to work in collaboration with SCO countries
Minister for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, Health, and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan, who inaugurated the conclave, called upon all the ignited young minds from SCO member states to use science as a tool to improve the quality of life of the common man which is the biggest challenge of this millennium. He exhorted the astute scientists at the 1st SCO Young Scientist Conclave to 'Innovate, Patent, Produce & Prosper' to lead our countries towards faster development.
The conclave enabled the confluence of ideas among the SCO scientific fraternity and paved the way for the establishment of a network across the Member States. It also projected the opportunities for joint proposals with STI prospects within the framework of SCO partners for future collaboration. A roadmap for networking and collaboration in these areas was prepared with provisions for exchange of young scientists across the SCO member states. The uniqueness of the conclave lay in bringing young minds together to promote international student exchange for knowledge and technology transfer. It witnessed overwhelming participation from SCO nations.
The conclave organized on virtual mode due to the pandemic wasaimed to bring young researchers at a common platform and encourage the youth to harness their knowledge for addressing common societal challenges through research and innovation and strengthening advancement of complementary skills and research competencies of youth. The conclave was attended by about 200 participants, including 67 young scientists & students nominated from SCO member states.
Dr S.K Varshney, Advisor & Head International Cooperation, informed that the SCO STI Framework program for supporting multi-disciplinary R&D projects in multilateral format is at finalization stage. He suggested that SCO member states may consider creating a fellowship program for young scientists, which will allow exchange of students and early career researchers among SCO nations.
Ministry of Home Affairs
Exemption to Specific Services related to Agri-produce Marketing, Anganwadi Workers and AYUSH from Lockdown Restrictions to fight COVID-19
In response to queries being raised with regard to exemption of specific services under the Consolidated Guidelines on lockdown measures to fight COVID-19 issued by Ministry of Home Affairs , the Union Home Secretary has written to States specifying the details of such services being exempted under the above restrictions.
In the communication to States, Specific Services exempt under lockdown restrictions are broadly as follows:
● direct marketing of agricultural produce
● food & nutrition support to children, women, lactating mothers by Anganwadi workers
● medical services & drug manufacturing under AYUSH category
Click Here to see Communication to States with specific details of exempt categories